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OPTIMA S.P.A.

with a single member. Company subject to management and
coordination of  CCP LUX SCSp-RAIF-CCP Lux Cone.
Via Gaggio N°72 - 47832 San Clemente - Rimini, Italy
VAT number: 01622060406



VAT number: 01622060406
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Team product specialist - interview with Andrea Barbarossa

Andrea Barbarossa, Head of the PS Team for the Group, coordinates the Product Specialists of the group’s companies in Italy and around the world, a team of 40 technicians of different cultures, but all united by the passion for their work and their pride in being ambassadors of Italian craftmanship in the world.

Andrea Barbarossa interview

The Casa Optima PS team continues to grow: what are the fundamental requirements to be a part of it?
Passion, ability to relate both with customers and the sales force, a keen sense of aesthetics and good taste. But that’s not enough, you need to be a curious person, with the desire to travel and gain experience. The profession of a PS is very interesting, and it never ceases to amaze you, it involves international trade fairs, demonstrations in a small workshop, being a teacher in the Casa Optima School, and training the sales agents.

A detail that cannot be ignored is that you must have a patient partner, because a PS is often away from home for many days of the year and almost never has fixed hours…

How important is the role of the PS in gaining customer loyalty?
It’s very important because the customer relates to our technicians when they need help and advice. Knowing that we have a company with a dedicated PS team behind us, always available to help the customer by proposing new solutions for their business, for new recipes or to resolve any problems, means that a close relationship of trust is established.

Are the PS divided according to their specialisation or must they be capable of doing everything?
They all know how to perform their profession to the best of their ability, even if the distinctiveness of the brand makes the difference. The Giuso PS is both a pastry chef and a gelato maker, the Modecor PS is a Pastry chef with a high sense of aesthetics. But also, in the gelato group we have master pastry chefs to whom we turn to, for example, for the creation of modern cakes.

What differentiates our team from those of our competitors?
Undoubtedly, we have the largest PS team. Furthermore, not having changed our team much over the years, means that we have a high level of preparation and knowledge in company history. There is excellence in the team that everyone recognizes and envies!

In general, our product Specialists grow together with the company: those with the company for many years help the new ones to integrate and have a correct approach. We continue to grow according to the needs of the market, and our numbers are set to increase in proportion with the demand for technical assistance from the customers and support for the sales network.

What makes us different as a group is also the fact that we do not limit ourselves to offering just a single service, but a well- structured package that includes the sale, with the agent always present and available, an innovative product, studied and created by the synergy of marketing and R&D, and a dedicated PS demonstrating how to prepare the product.

In short, we are a numerous team and therefore the most present in the world; we are the most historical and therefore most recognized. What can I say… we are the best!

What is the role of the PS in training?
Our PS are dedicated to 360° training: with customers in school locations around the world, with the sales force concerning the new products, with new sales agents joining us.  They deal with direct trade fairs as well as indirect to support the distributor.

What does it mean to you to coordinate such a large team with such an important task?
It is a demanding but very stimulating job. The main task is to give specific attention to all our guys through assessment and through experience. I really enjoy talking to people from all over the world who have different requirements and habits, and working with the PS enriches me both humanly and professionally. I travel a lot because I believe that the human relationship is fundamental and that it is necessary to see each other in person, several times a year, to convey the essence of our philosophy.  Because the Casa Optima style must be the same all over the world.